XFL Los Angeles Names Pepper Johnson Defensive Coordinator

Defense is a big part of football, and the new XFL is putting a focus on that to their product. The league announced they have signed Pepper Johnson to be the Defensive Coordinator for the unnamed Los Angeles XFL team.

Another former member of the AAF, Johnson is a multiple-time Super Bowl Champion. Starting his football career with Ohio State, he was drafted in the second round fo the 1986 Draft by the New York Giants. He won two rings as a member of the Giants (Super Bowl XXI and XXV) before playing for the Cleveland Browns, Detroit Lions and New York Jets. Ending his playing career after 1998, Johnson was a two-time Pro Bowler and had over 983 tackles.

Following his playing days, Johnson joined the New England Patriots as an assistant coach in 2000. Under the leadership of Bill Belichick, Johnson helped the team win three Super Bowls. From 2000-2014 Johnson was an Inside Linebacker, Defensive Line and Linebackers Coach for New England. After leaving the Patriots, Johnson became the Defensive Line Coach for the Buffalo Bills and Jets. He was briefly a member of the AAF's Memphis Express team before the league shut down.

Johnson joins a Los Angeles team that includes Team President Heather Brooks Kataz and Heach Coach/GM Winston Moss.

The XFL season is expected to start in February of 2020, just a few days after the Super Bowl.